Ava Virginia Schellhorn Herring, 91, of Tulsa, OK, was born March 3, 1929, in Billings, Montana to Herman Berg Schellhorn, Sr. and Wilma Iona Courtney Schellhorn. Ava claimed her victory over death and peacefully joined the Church Triumphant on January 28, 2021.

Stemming from a family of Musicians, Educators, and Inventors, Ava was taught to read by her mother at a young age to keep her busy, and remained an avid reader her entire life. With a Violinist father and a Concertized Pianist mother, Ava and her two brothers were entertained by nightly concerts in their home. Trips to her grandparents' basement in Kansas always provided new gadgets to explore that were either in the developing process or awaiting patents.

Ava attended Inola Public Schools where at Sweet 16 she graduated high school as valedictorian. To her parents' chagrin but to Ava's delight, she was not able to attend her high school graduation because of her father's sudden promotion to a job in California. Ava, who did not like giving public speeches, was relieved not to have to give a valedictorian address!

While living in California, Ava earned an Associate Degree from a business college. Oklahoma was forever in her heart with the goal of living in Tulsa, so at age 18 she left California, moved to Tulsa, and took a job as a Private Legal Secretary for a lawyer. It was in Tulsa where she met her future husband, Woodie J. Herring, an Honorably Discharged WWII Veteran whom, when she first encountered him, she thought was one of the most obnoxious men she had ever met! Her opinion of him obviously changed, for the two were married at Second Presbyterian Church in Tulsa on May 20, 1950. Two children were born of this union and the couple were married 48 years until Woodie's death in 1998. Besides reading, music, and family, Ava loved working in retail doing bookkeeping and worked for over 40 years at Nielsen's until her retirement in 2017. She loved gardening, sewing, and spending time outdoors. She also loved animals as displayed by the menagerie of pets from dogs and cats to birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, and later horses. Ava and Woodie's last adventures were spent breeding, raising, and racing Thoroughbred Race horses, which they loved.

Church was a vital part of Ava's life. She was a member of John Calvin Presbyterian Church in Tulsa until its closing, then joined St. Andrew's Presbyterian where she was a member until her death. Most recently, she attended St. Stephen's United Methodist Church in Broken Arrow, OK, where her daughter is the Director of Music Ministries.

Ava is survived by her daughter, Sandra Hayes of Tulsa; her brother, Paul Schellhorn and his wife, Shirley, of Claremore; many nephews, nieces, and great-nephews and great-nieces; and a lifetime of friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Woodie Herring; her son, Patrick Herring; and her brother, Herman Schellhorn, Jr. and his wife, Gloria; and all of her in-laws from her husband's family.

In lieu of flowers you may contribute to:

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
7107 South Yale #133
Tulsa, OK 74136

Or

The Music Department of
St. Stephen's United Methodist Church
400 West New Orleans Street
Broken Arrow, OK 74011

Viewing from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Visitation from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Moore's Eastlawn Chapel, 1908 S. Memorial Dr., Tulsa, OK (918) 622-1155

Graveside Service at 12:00 Noon on Wednesday, February 3, 2021, Little Cemetery, Little, Oklahoma.